AT least three private equity groups armed with foreign cash have lined up to do battle over Morrisons, a British supermarket with a big property portfolio and a deal with Amazon that could help scale-up its lagging online offering.
Interest in the chain, which has recently notched up market share in Britain’s cut-throat grocery business, partly reflects private equity’s new-found passion for UK Plc, as the nation rebounds faster than expected from Brexit and the Covid-19 crisis.
Yet Britain’s No. 4 grocer may offer more potential than some rivals. Alongside a big property portfolio and strong cash generation, Morrisons supplies Amazon Prime members with same-day food deliveries.
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